dmurray407

Popular plant-it's sold out everywhere I've looked online (except ebay). It sounds like it gets too big for my aquarium (from ebay seller Passiflorista) "African Princess Spiral Ginger is a smaller growing variety of Costus, reaching only 4-5 feet tall. The individual pink crepe-like flowers are larger than most Costus blooms, born on green spikes that are cone-shaped, at the tops of the stems. The fleshy rhizome (creeping underground stem) sends up multiple shoots with soft green leaves growing out in a spiral. These stems form a clump 3 feet across or more within 1-2 years. Costus needs lots of heat and humidity to bloom. It requires fairly rich soil and regular or abundant water, and grows best in half shade or morning sun. It is a tropical plant, winter hardy only in zones 9-11. These plants are currently 2.5-5 feet tall in 5" (large) or gallon (jumbo) pots. We remove the soil from the roots, and cut off any shoots that are over 1 foot long. What we ship you is a large or jumbo rhizome clump that will begin producing new shoots within weeks after planting in a greenhouse in the north, or in the ground in the Gulf states."

Yep, the weather IS a little different here in MN. I retired last year-now I don't have to go out in the crappy weather if I don't want to. My mom followed me here 10 years ago., and is not really fond of the weather. I have to give her a lot of credit, though-she is 88 and after a snowstorm if I don't get over there fast enough, she gets out and shovels her own driveway.

That's a beautiful area-but a very long commute to SF. I shouldn't talk-I just retired from job that is 50 miles away from my house-so fun during a snowstorm! I sure don't miss that part 🙂

Always has! We lived in San Jose and my hubby worked in South San Francisco. He hated that commute! (and that was 50 years ago...)

Life is strange sometimes!

Where in Northern Ca? My great great grandmother was also from Ireland (County Cork, I was told). She and her husband settled in Bodega (Sonoma County) in around 1860. He was a McCready-his family was originally from Ireland and lived in New York for a few generations prior to his trip "around the horn" to get to CA. I have never figured out where in Ireland the McCreadys originally came from. Family history is so interesting, but equally frustrating 🙂

I do the same...have never had any problems.

Good to know-thanks! All I actually know was that it just keeps getting smaller. 🙂

I'll leave that to the experts 🙂

Lumber usually is actually less than the name indicates like 2x3, 2x4, 2x6-over the years the lumber industry has somehow decided that it's OK to keep shaving a bit off the dimensions. What is the actual size of the boards you are thinking of using? By the way, I built a stand just like this one and it was very easy and turned out great!

If you order from Aquarium Coop it often comes in 2 days for me (I'm in Minnesota). I would bet if you called Candi in customer service and explained, she could probably get it to you even faster. Len, please don't get frustrated. I know it's so discouraging, but you will beat this. I lost a lot of fish during an ick "epidemic" many years ago. It was so frustrating, but you know what, I learned a lot from the experience. You are in the right place-this forum is a great source of really good information.

I don't have an answer for you, but I think you did an amazing job building your stand! I'm wondering if a thicker piece of foam (maybe 1/4 inch?) underneath might solve the problem?

I got a few leaves and now I'm wondering what to do with them 🙂 I've been looking for a "tutorial" on how to use them. I got them to put in my shrimp tank, but it sounds like they are good for all sorts of tanks. I guess the big question is-is there any type of tank I shouldn't put them in? Could they go into my quarantine tank with Panda Cory's and Rasboras? (I did just come across a Coop Blog article on Indian Almond Leaves. https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/indian-almond-leaves)

I never would have thought of using a ShopVac 🙂 Good to know!!!!

Great idea! (Though not as nice as the real thing). I wonder if a fishless aquarium would be an option...just plants couldn't harbor that much bacteria, could they? Not as interesting, but the water movement is still calming..... I hope everything turns out OK with your hubby.....

Welcome to a great forum!!!

I made my granddaughter a lid for her aquarium out of plastic egg crate used for ceiling lights. You can get it at any building supply place like Home Depot. It's easy to cut, it fits her tank perfectly-keeps the fish in and her cat out 🙂

Our "pause for the cause" was performed by the circulating nurse immediately prior to the procedure-pt has been prepped (draped), physician at the bedside and everything is ready-the "pause" states everyone is ready and all necessary equipment is in the room. I retired a year ago so I don't have to do that anymore-now I just have to keep my fish happy🙂

Agree. Sometimes I think it depends on what kind of a mood they are in on the day(s) they come....In my opinion, I'm sure the fish tank did more good for the patients and families than any possible harm. If it was that big of a risk for someone, maybe they could just stay away from that area and let other people enjoy the tank. You are a nice person 🙂

You can't fight JCAHO-it's their way or the highway.....

You can't fight Joint Commission. If hospitals don't comply with their rules (no matter how silly) the hospital can lose their accreditation which means losing big bucks. It's not hospital leadership making this decision, but they have to enforce the rules. I worked in a procedural area of a hospital and we would all get really nervous when it was Joint Commission time. The last time we got "dinged" in my department was because the person doing the "pause for the cause" didn't speak loudly enough. I mean, the "pause" was done-the JCAHO people were in the next room (procedure room is sterile) and listening over a speaker, the patient was sedated by then and everyone else in the room knew what was going on, so???? It wasn't a huge deal, but we had to promise to comply the next time around. (and they did come back to observe us...)

I"m really excited to try your method-I think I will try a group of plants in a pot (I'll have to hunt for the one I'm thinking of) and then add some new gravel around the pot. I don't have any Miracle Grow soil, but I have some Promix Organic potting soil which is pretty much the same thing. Stay healthy 🙂

Torrey, do you just use regular potting soil, garden soil, or???? I haven't delved into the Walstad stuff, but maybe I should-so much to learn 🙂 (I need that....)

Even an extra Rubbermaid tote would work-that's what I have for my quarantine tank. It's hard to see that empty tote just sitting there, though-I always want to put stuff in it 🙂

This is interesting-I also have pH of around 8 in my water-I gave up trying to change it many years ago. What kind of soil are you planning to put in the pots? Are you thinking of 2-3 inch (diameter) terra cotta for the pots?